Nafplion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nafplion (Ναύπλιο)
View of the old part of the city of Nafplion from Palamidi castle

Location

Coordinates	37°34′N 22°48′E / 37.567, 22.8Coordinates: 37°34′N 22°48′E / 37.567, 22.8
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)
Elevation (min-max):	0 - 10 m (0 - 33 ft)
Government
Country:	Greece
Periphery:	Peloponnese
Prefecture:	Argolis
Population statistics (as of 2001^[1])
City Proper
- Population:	13,822
- Area:^[2]	33.6 km² (13 sq mi)
- Density:	411 /km² (1,065 /sq mi)
Codes
Postal codes:	211 00
Area codes:	2752
License plate codes:	ΑΡ
Website
www.nafplio.gr

Nafplion (Greek: Ναύπλιο, Turkish: Anabolu, Italian: Napoli di Romania), in the Peloponnese in Greece, is a seaport town that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf (Argolikos Bay). The town was the capital of Greece from 1829 to 1834. Nafplion, with a population of (13,822) is the capital of the prefecture of Argolis and the province of Nafplion.

1 Name
2 Geography
3 History
4 Historical population
5 Notable people
6 References
7 Sources
8 See also
9 External links

[edit] Name

The name of the town in Greek is Ναύπλιο or in Ancient Greek Ναύπλιον/Ναύπλιων (adding omega/nu, thus the transliteration "Nafplion"). As is the case with many Greek names, there is more than one possible Latin transliteration. Currently, the most commonly used English spelling is "Nafplion" (or sometimes "Nafplio" like the Modern Greek way of saying it).

Many sources, especially those dealing with the ancient city, refer to it by its Latin name of Nauplion.^{[citation needed]} In other languages it is known variously as Nauplia, Navplion, Nauplio, Nafplion and Anapli; these names would have been current in English during the periods of Venetian and Ottoman domination. In Italian, Nafplion is known as Napoli di Romania, the last two words referring to the ancient name ("Romania") formerly used to define those territories occupied by the Byzantine Empire, and serving to distinguish the town from the other Napoli (i.e. Naples) in Italy.

[edit] Geography

Nafplion is situated on the Argolic Gulf in the northeast Peloponnese. Most of the old town is on a peninsula jutting into the gulf; this peninsula forms a naturally protected bay that is enhanced by the addition of man-made moles. Originally almost isolated by marshes, deliberate landfill projects, primarily since the 1970s, have nearly doubled the land area of the city.

[edit] History

^{This section requires expansion.}

The area surrounding Nafplion has been inhabited since ancient times though little sign of this remains within the town. The town has been a stronghold at several times in history.

[edit] Byzantine/Venetian era

Further information: Byzantine Greece and Ottoman Greece

The Akronafplia has walls dating from pre-classical times. Subsequently, Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans added to the fortifications. Nafplion was taken in 1212 by the French crusaders of the Principality of Achaea, then in 1388 was sold to the Venetians.^[3] During the subsequent 150 years, the lower city was expanded and fortified, and new fortifications added to Akronauplia. ^[4] The city was surrendered to the Ottomans in 1540. At that period, Nafplion looked very much like the 16th century image shown below to the right.

The Venetians retook Nafplion in 1685, and strengthened the city by building the castle of Palamidi, which was in fact the last major construction of the Venetian empire overseas. However, only 80 soldiers were assigned to defend the city and it was easily retaken by the Ottomans in 1715.

[edit] Greek War of Independence

This picture shows the Bourtzi Castle, taken from the harbour in Nafplion and including one of the local fishing boats.

During the Greek War of Independence, Nafplion was a major Ottoman stronghold and was besieged for a year by Theodoros Kolokotronis. Akronauplia, and then Palamidi, finally surrendered because of starvation. After its capture, because of its strong fortifications, it became the seat of the provisional governments of Greece, and Kapodistrias made it the official capital of Greece in 1829. After his assassination there in 1831 a period of anarchy followed, until the arrival of King Otto and the establishment of the new Kingdom of Greece. Nafplion remained the capital of the kingdom until 1834, when King Otto decided to move the capital to Athens.

Tourism emerged slowly in the 1960s, but not to the same degree as around other ares of Greece; nevertheless, it tends to attact a number of tourists from Germany and the Scandinavian countries in particular. Nafplion enjoys a very sunny and mild climate, even by Greek standards, and as a consequence has become a popular day- or weekend road trip destination for Athenians in wintertime.

[edit] Modern era

Otto of Greece entering Náfplio in 1832, Peter von Hess, 1835.

Nafplion is a port, with fishing and transport ongoing, although the primary source of local employment currently is tourism, with two beaches on the other side of the peninsula from the main body of the town and a large amount of local accommodation. There is now a railway station with daily trains from/to Athens (OSE).

Since 2003, the University of Peloponnese has incorporated a new faculty, the School of Fine Arts. In 2007, a single department exists ; the Department of Theatre[1], working on four pathways:

(1). Acting & Directing (2). Scenography & Costume Design (3). Contemporary Dance (4). Dramaturgy & Theatrology

[edit] Historical population

Year	Population	Change	Municipal population	Change
1981	10,611	-	-	-
1991	11,897	1,286/12.1%	14,740	-
2001	-	-	16,885	2,145/14.55%

[edit] Notable people

Angelos Terzakis (1907-1979) writer
Nikos Karouzos (1926-1990) poet

[edit] References

^ PDF (875 KB) 2001 Census (Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece (ΕΣΥΕ). www.statistics.gr. Retrieved on 2007-10-30.
^ (Greek) Basic Characteristics. Ministry of the Interior. www.ypes.gr. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.
^ Diplomatarium #127.
^ Wright, Ch. 1.

[edit] Sources

Diplomatarium Veneto-Levantinum.1966. ed. G. M. Thomas. New York.
Gerola, Guiseppe. “Le fortificazioni di Napoli di Romania,” Annuario delll regia scuola archeologicca di Atene e delle missioni italiane in oriente 22-24. (1930-31) 346-410.
Greece, the Rough Guide. Mark Ellingham, Marc Dubin, Natania Jansz and Joh Fisher, Published by Rough Guides 1995, ISBN 1-85828-131-8,
Gregory, Timothy E. 1983. Nauplion. Athens.
Karouzos, Semnēs. 1979. To Nauplio. Athens.
Kolotronēs, Theodoros. 1969. Memoirs from the Greek War of Independence, 1821-1833. E. M. Edmunds, trans. Originally printed as Kolokotrones: The Klepht and the Warrior. Sixty Years of Peril and Daring. An Autobiography. London, 1892; reprint, Chicago.
Lamprynides, Michael G. 1898. Ē Nauplia. Athens, reprint 1950.
Luttrell, Anthony. 1966. “The Latins of Argos and Nauplia: 1311-1394,” Papers of the British School at Rome 34: 34-55.
Schaefer, Wulf. 1961. "Neue Untersuchungen über die Baugeschichte Nauplias im Mittelalter," Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts 76: 156-214.
Wright, Diana Gilliland. 1999. Bartolomeo Minio: Venetian administration in 15th-Century Nauplion. Doctoral dissertation, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC (Online Version).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

	Nea Tiryntha
Argolic Gulf		Askilipio
	Nafplion

	Argolic Gulf	Asini

v • d • e Municipalities and Communities of the Argolis Prefecture
Municipalities	Argos • Asini • Asklipieio • Epidaurus • Ermioni • Koutsopodi • Kranidi • Lerna • Lyrkeia • Midea • Mykines • Nafplion • Nea Kios • Nea Tiryntha
Communities	Achladokampos • Alea • Sterna